Haha yeah I have been a bit slack over here lately. Still training as usual but I'm doing a push/pull/squat style split. I'm aiming for a new squat and maybe deadlift PR soon. That 100 kg push press in the video above was a PR!

The last time I tried full cleans, I didn't get under properly and ended up dropping the bar onto my shins as I fell backward. Good thing it was only 135 lbs. loaded up, otherwise, that wouldn't have been too good. That was about 3 years ago, haven't had any urge to do them since!

"A 'hardgainer' is merely someone who hasn't bothered to try enough different training methods to learn what is actually right for their own damned body." - anonymous

VeganEssentials wrote:The last time I tried full cleans, I didn't get under properly and ended up dropping the bar onto my shins as I fell backward. Good thing it was only 135 lbs. loaded up, otherwise, that wouldn't have been too good. That was about 3 years ago, haven't had any urge to do them since!

I'm so envy how can you people be so good in squats? I'm OK in other exercises, but squats are my weakest side. I looked at the beginning of your journal and I saw you began squatting already with 60 - 70 kg. I started with 30, then upgraded at 40, and now I can do couple of sets of 10 reps with 50 kg with no extreme effort. But that is also such a light weight comparing to what I see people here and in my gym lift (and some of those people are not looking stronger than me). What is the problem with me? I'm especially pissed off cause I hurt my lower back today doing squats with 60 kg, which I succeeded doing last time I was in gym. I'm posting this here, because you seem to have biggest success in gaining weight and strength, and doing squats, in this forum.Have you got any suggestions or advices for me? Thanks!

I think the only advice I can give is to squat more often and slowly increase the weight. My best gains with squats came when I started squatting 3 times a week, just adding 2.5 kg each week, or whenever I could

sosso wrote:I think the only advice I can give is to squat more often and slowly increase the weight. My best gains with squats came when I started squatting 3 times a week, just adding 2.5 kg each week, or whenever I could

This is important! Don't do jumps bigger than 2.5kg so your body can get used to it. 5x5 is good to start with, gives your more attempts to adjust your form when you're starting out. My first 9 months or so were spent squatting 5x5 3x a week (except for groin injury - remember to stretch!), adding 2.5kg each time when successfully completing 5x5. It works. Start light because you could be adding 7.5kg a week.